The Ginetta G50 race series is some of the closest racing you'll see. As for the drivers, some are just 14 years old

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12 June 2012

What makes the BTCC so much better than Formula 1? Is it the fact that cars can race wheel to wheel without being forced back into the pits after some scuffed paintwork? Or is that the BTCC seems so much more accessible to everyman? After all, the Jason Platos and Rob Collards of this world seem like normal blokes, not demi-gods like Herr Schumacher or His Hamiltoness.

Money plays a big role, too, most notably with the BTCC’s introduction of the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) in 2011, which slashed design, build and running costs of the stripped-out saloons and hot hatchbacks. Equally measured BTCC cars rely on driver skill and fearlessness, not DRS and trick KERS systems like they do in F1.

What else I prefer about the BTCC is the approachability of drivers. I spent my Sunday at Oulton Park courtesy of eBay Motors and the BMW team’s drivers – Rob Collard, Tom Onslow-Cole and Nick Foster – who were happy to chat even though they didn’t know me from Adam. I can’t imagine the same friendliness coming from Alonso and Massa on race day, but then again I might be wrong.

It’s the physical dog-fights that spectators (especially us Brits) look forward to as well. They’ll usually involve bumper nudging, rear ending and T-boning on occasion, which is great to watch, both at the track or from the comfort of your sofa.

For me, the BTCC wins for viewer enjoyment over F1 any day of the week. My only criticism? Races could do with being a few laps longer. And how about reducing the three-race day down to two? I don’t know about you, but when race two is over, I tend to get itchy feet having to wait another two hours until the finale. But then again, watching the Clios, Ginettas and Porsches fighting it out in the interim is very entertaining, too.

Naturally, I’d love to get behind the wheel of a BTCC car and now, thanks to a new bursary programme funded by Plato’s team, KX Energy Drink, it is possible. It supports six candidates per year (five now, hopefully including me) and includes being mentored by the man himself. Maybe F1’s Red Bull team could follow suit?

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If we were in 1996 I'd be inclined to agree with you that the BTCC was better than F1. That's when the championship was in its heyday - big name drivers and manufacturers creating one big polished spectacle that captured the imagination. I only wish ITV4's all-afternoon coverage was available back then.

However, this is 2012. The 'new' BTCC has a couple of drivers you've heard of but is basically a collection of privateer teams running a disparate collection of cars and drivers that is more akin with club racing. I occasionally watch the ITV4 coverage but more for the Porsches and Ginettas.

If I want to watch bumper nudging, rear ending and occasional T-boning I'll go watch banger racing. That's the main reason I stopped watching 'new' BTCC in the first place. Races decided not by incisive passing or driver skill but last man standing.

For entertainment, approachable drivers and an open paddock try the VSCC at Cadwell Park. A fantastic day out and I'm sorry I have to wait another year to go back.

Ah, the old wives tale about the BTCC. I'd have to agree with some of the other posters; the modern day BTCC is utter pants! Mainly underpowered FWD hatches, driving standards which are extremely poor; driving into and pushing people off the track is not racing, I could go on. If you want to watch decent 'Touring cars' then. Watch either of Aussie V8, DTM, Swedish TTA series. If you must stay in Britain, then watch the British GT series, proper cars and decent drivers.

I'd rather go see tintop racing than do without a family holiday,because F1 is wallet wilting in the extreme,cheaper to relax on the sofa with a tinny or two, fridge, loo only a few steps away, sweeet!

Sorry but I rarely watch Touring car racing these days. The cars are all basically the same, standard engines, transmissions, tyres etc so there is no technical interest. Much rather watch GT racing where the cars are a bit more closely related to production models.

If you must have every boring detail about a sport, down to wheel nut sizes, types of fuel etc, then TV sport just isn't for you,BTTC is about close racing, yes, there's pushing and dubious technic, but compared to F1, there's a significant difference in costs to go racing, there's no anal criteria to adhere to,there are rules on what you can do to the cars,and yes, they are car shells with a race car which bears no relation to a road car, but the key thing is,everyone can afford to go and see it, all races are on British soil so no jetting to far of places to watch,plus, the races are short (3 in day) plus supporting events,in all a great day out for not a lot of outlay,F1,my daughter is 21 nxt yr and hopes to go to one (?),for the price of the whole arrangement, we could do more BTTC.

I don't like one-make racing, so I change channels as soon as the BTCC cars are finished. Trouble is, with the NGTC regs even the BTCC cars are a bit like a one-make series except the bodies look different.

I loved the BTCC in the days of Menu in the Laguna, Biela in the A4, Rydell in the V70, Reid in the Primera, Cleland in the Cavalier, Winkelhoch in the BMW, Thompson in the Honda, Mansell in the Mondeo etc etc. But the bumper cars aspect put me off after the series began to decline and I haven't been tempted back. God help us they had diesel Leons at one point. I'm with others here; GT racing is a far better specticle but has the same open access and reasonable prices as the BTCC and mercifully smaller crowds. On that, I'm with Alex; Formula 1 is a massive rip-off costing far too much for far too little access and track time.

If you want to know about a car, read a forum dedicated to it; that's a real 'long term test' . No manufacturer's warranty, no fleet managers servicing deals, no journalist's name to oil the wheels...

The biggest problem I have with modern-day touring car formulae (not just BTCC but WTCC, DTM, V8Supercars, etc.) is that they are all becoming spec formulae with parity being all important and the actual road cars upon which the racers are based becoming irrelevant.

The big attraction of touring cars, for me at least, was the fact that the drivers were driving cars closely based on what was on sale at the showroom, not custom-built racing cars with production-look body panels bolted on.

I'd rather see a formula with rules set out to limit the modifications allowed over standard cars, and very limited parity adjustments for safety/cost/entertainment purposes. Any racing-specific parts should be standardised to prevent runaway costs, but the basis of the cars should be that they are modified road cars, not disguised race cars.